Issue 4 Spring 2018

THE

RAMPAGE Student-Run Newspaper of Fresno City College

Spring 2018 Issue 4 March 7, 2018

IMPASSE District and Board Members Are at a Stand Still Over the New Math, Science and Engineering Building

PAGE 3

Accreditation Day Arrives Mostly According to Plan Tommy Tribble | Reporter ttribble@therampageonline.com

It’s 8 a.m. on March 6 — accreditation day — and the double doors to the room hosting the accreditation meeting are locked; tables are undressed, and a planned breakfast is not ready.

Administrators and instructors have been preparing for this day for months, for a group of their peers from other colleges representing the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior

Colleges (ACCJC) to descend on the campus for a full tour and to determine if Fresno City College meets all standards.

Yet, even with all the planning, a catering issue threatens to derail the much awaited meeting.

Before long, quick thinking administrators arrive, open the door and hastily organize a breakfast order. FCC President Carole Goldsmith arranges for the tour to take place before the meeting, giving everyone more time.

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“In the grand scheme of things, it’s OK,” Goldsmith said. The administration and the food service staff were able to pull it together quickly, rendering any schedule changes unnecessary. The visiting team of accreditors arrived as planned.

“What happens is, every eight years colleges get accredited. They look at every aspect of the college,” said Kathy Bonilla, public information officer. “We do a self Continued on Page 4, ACCREDITATION

@FCCRAMPAGE

OPINION

ENTERTAINMENT

‘The WHALE’ Makes a splash Page 6 @RAMPAGENEWS

is common sense gun control enough?

Page 10

Why you should take a break from social media Page 8 The rampage online

2 NEWS 3.7.18

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THE RAMPAGE

ASG briefs

The student-run newspaper of Fresno City College

EDITORIAL BOARD Editor-in-Chief Ashleigh Panoo News/Multimedia Editor Larry Valenzuela

Tasha Turner | Reporter tturner@therampageonline.com

Art Director Ramuel Reyes Sports Editor Anthony De Leon Enterainment Editor Noah Villaverde

Safety Awareness Event Planned After Student’s Death

Social Media Editor Omari Bell Opinion Editor Frank Lopez

Fresno City College, along with Clovis Community College, are organizing a School Safety Awareness event on March 20 in OAB 251 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

With the recent shooting death of student Zurich Chatman, students have suggested that FCC spread violence awareness, according to the Associated Student Government president Brandon McLaughlin.

Kaura Lopez, inner club council chair said, “This would be a good place to get any questions

REPORTERS Claudia Chavez Anjanae Freitas Andrew Leal Loren Marcotte Jamila McCarty Gabbi Micheli Paulina Rodriguez-Ruiz Sasha Saunders Stefanie Verdugo-Tholen Jose Serrano Tamara Torres-Leguizamon Tommy Tribble Tasha Turner

Contact Us Tip Line 559-422-8262 Letters to the Editor editorial@therampageonline.com Corrections media@therampageonline.com Any correction needed for an article should be brought to the attention of the staff of The Rampage. The Rampage is committed to accuracy and should be made aware of any mistake in an article that appears in this paper.

The Rampage is produced by students of the Journalism 11 A, B, C, D class.

emergencies, he said during the Feb. 27 ASG meeting in the senate chambers.

The campus police cannot protect FCC alone, according to Flores. “We need the help of the students, faculty and staff,” he said.

“The students know who belongs on campus and who doesn’t,” Flores said. “If you see somebody that doesn’t belong here, we need to know about it.”

There will be free refreshments for students who attend the event.

ASG Votes in New Elections Commissioner

Business Manager Maria Aguilar Adviser/Instructor Dympna Ugwu-Oju

Views expressed in the opinion pages are those of the individual writer and not of the newspaper.

answered regarding safety.”

There will be a unity wall, according to Lopez. “Students can relive their personal emotions by writing down their feels on sticky notes and posting them up,” she said.

ASG is making plans for the Chief of Police Jose Flores to attend the event and inform students on how to protect themselves in violent situations, according to Lopez.

Flores is interested in training students on how to react during

Shirley Ly. Photo/Tasha Turner

Shirley Ly is the new Associated Student Government’s elections commissioner. Ly was voted in during ASG’s meeting on Feb. 27.

Ly says she is highly organized and is on campus everyday. “I really want to get an experience of what it’s like to be a part of something like ASG,” she said.

The elections commissioner’s job is to manage the ASG elections, said Brandon McLaughlin, the president of the organization.

“I feel like I’m very neutral for everyone,” she said. “I don’t know anyone personally, so it will be hard for me to be biased towards anyone.”

Jerry Garcia, vice president of the ASG, said, “Shirley is extremely professional; she does not mix business with anything personal.”

Garcia added, “She has a great work ethic, and I’m very amazed by it.”

ASG Offers Free Lunch and Fun The Associated Student Government is holding a lunch event in the free speech area, outside the cafeteria on March 16 from noon to 2 p.m.

“It is a way for ASG to talk to students about potentially joining ASG,” said Kaura Lopez, inner club

council chair. “It is also a way to get to hear what the students need from us as an association.”

The planned lunch will have a St. Patrick’s Day theme and feature lots of free food and drinks. The association is also planning other activities for March 16, Lopez said.

“The activities at the lunch will depend on how many students show up,” she said. “We’ve talked about doing a talent show or a lip sync battle.”

The event is open to all students.

Bolt to College to Streamline Commuting Loren Daniels | Reporter lmarcotte@therampageonline.com

A Chevrolet Volt EV, which will be used in the Bolt to College program.

Photo courtesy of State Center Community College District

Fresno City College students who live in west Fresno County can look forward to ridesharing to school now, thanks to a new initiative that offers students a more efficient way to commute to campus.

Bolt to College, a carpool service, will address the issues of limited parking and vehicle congestion on campus, according to objectives defined by the CALSTART program.

Bolt to College will use the new Chevrolet Volt EV to transport students to and from campus, and offers door-to-door service for students from the Kerman

area. Students must pay a $10 fee and be subscribed to the monthly service to be able to take advantage of the benefits this program offers; the service will not run on weekends.

According to FCC spokeswoman Kathy Bonilla, the service will begin in the fall and if Bolt to College service successfully meets program objectives after the initial 18-month trial period, the service is expected to expand to other areas in West Fresno County.

Leonel Zamora, of San Joaquin, told ABC30 in an interview on March 2, “Right now, I don’t have a job, so I don’t have enough money to be wasting on fuel, so the rideshare program would be

beneficial to me.”

In addition to eliminating parking hassles and reducing carbon emissions on campus, the new service will reduce the financial burden for many students from the San Joaquin valley. For those whose round trip commutes average 35 miles per day, the Bolt To College service can save students up to $3,000 per school year in automobile fees and gas alone, CALSTART personnel shared during a conference held on the Fresno City College campus on March 3.

The project is funded by CALSTART, which received a $750,000 grant by the California Energy Commission.

3.7.18 NEWS 3

COVER STORY

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Will the new mse building meet the needs of future students?

Shirley McManus, the dean of instruction for Math, Science and Engineering, along with faculty and community members, gather in support of increased allocations towards a new MSE building at the SCCCD board of trustees meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2018. Photo/Paulina Rodriguez Ruiz

T

he State Center Community College District board of trustees’ bond workshop on Feb. 21 failed to quell growing concerns about the proposed new Math, Science and Engineering building to be built at Fresno City College using funds from Measure C. The workshop, held at Clovis Community College’s Herndon Campus, attracted a large crowd of faculty, students and community members, dressed in red to show support for an increase in allocations towards the proposed MSE building.

Current plans are to construct a brand new 40,000 square foot facility across the train tracks, next to Blackstone Avenue, and to remodel the existing 58,000 square foot building, resulting in a split science division.

“I can’t support any of these examples or proposals unless the math and science allocation is increased to address the lack of square footage that has been brought to our attention,” Trustee Miguel Arias told other board members and others from the district members at the end of the bond presentation.

A new MSE building was part of a $485 million district capital improvement Measure C bond called which was approved by voters in June 2016.

David Balogh, chair of the Earth, Physical Sciences and Engineering department, said in an interview with The Rampage, that the current building is only half the size of the space needed for

“

I can’t support any of these examples or proposals unless the math and science allocation is increased to address the lack of square footage that has been brought to our attention.”

Miguel Arias SCCCD Trustee

Paulina Rodriguez Ruiz | Reporter pruiz@therampageonline.com

the current student population.

“We feel that we need a building, about a 100,000 square foot building, in order to just meet our current needs,” Balogh said. “We believe that that’s possible; we used the district numbers on their slides to calculate the cost of what a 100,000 square foot building would be, and it’s approximately $92 million if we started construction this year.”

“There’s expectations that now we’re going to completely demolish [the] MSE building for a brand new 109,000 square foot facility that will match Modesto,” Vice Chancellor of Operations and Information Systems Christine Miktarian said, “Those are expectations that we need to pull back in, reign in and say here’s our budget, here’s what were building towards, and let’s try to maximize it in every way that we can.”

Business and community members supporting the MSE building addressed the board during the 30-minute forum.

Nell Papavasiliou, FCC Engineering told board members, “Right now, we are engaging our students in engineering work in traditional lecture classrooms by moving desks around to make design spaces, and using the hallways of the current science building.”

“We need adequate facilities and resources to carry out our FCC mission, to provide a quality, innovative educational program directed towards the enhancement of students success, lifelong learning, and the economic and

social development of our students and our region,” said Papavasiliou.

Miktarian addressed the two main concerns -- a split science division, and lack of space.

“There was a lot of discussion, not discussion public comments about not wanting to separate the science programs. That is not consistent with other California community colleges,” said Miktarian.

“We did do a little bit a research between then and now, and there are 23 schools identified, UCs, CSUs, and community colleges, and of those 23 schools, only one of them had one single science building [San Diego Mesa College],” said Miktarian.

Previous 2015-2017 plans were to construct a brant new 70,000 square foot MSE building, estimating a cost between $43 million and $50 million.

“The addition of a 40,000 square foot facility is in addition to remodeling their existing 58,000 square foot facility, so that brings us to 98,000 square feet of science space. That’s about a 30 percent increase in what they’ve had previously,” Miktarian said.

“What they don’t see and what isn’t in the numbers, are the whole sections of students that are turned away because we don’t have room for them,” Balogh said.

“What they don’t see is that engineering does not have a dedicated space, surveying students work out of a closet, engineering students run their races of their little machines in the hallways, and that’s inexcusable.”

Miktarian clarified the origin of the $50 million allocation towards the new MSE building.

“That [MSE building] was based on funding formulas from the state chancellor's office for square footage for those types of facilities,” Mikatarian said. ”It worked when they were realistic; things escalate and they adjust with escalation.”

Miktarian proposed cutting the $50 million allocation towards FCC parking by $16 million, and redistributing $11 million towards MSE. The relocation of the SCCCD district office would free up 150 additional parking spaces at FCC, cutting down parking expenses.

“Things need to change and I think that we are looking at all of these projects in a different way than we have ever have before and there’s are opportunities for other funding that we should explore,” Miktarian said.

Arias criticized the district’s decision to allocate an extra $15 million towards Reedley College’s Center for Performing Arts after realizing it was underfunded, while telling the MSE division to stay within their budget.

“I just feel like they’re not willing to increase the allocation,” Arias said. “If we continue down the path that we’re in, the building will be over capacity the day that we open it. That’s just not acceptable for me.”

Trustee member Eric Payne said, “They deserve a high-quality building and we’re going to give it to them.”

4 NEWS 3.7.18

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Darryl Du’Chene holds his award after being inducted into the Wall of Honor at a ceremony in the Old Administration Building on Monday, Feb. 26, 2018. Photo/Larry Valenzuela

4 Inducted into Wall of Honor

study to show how we’re doing, and then the accreditation team comes and visits the college, and they see if what we said in that accreditation report is true.”

That report is called the Institutional Self Evaluation Report (ISER), a 400 page document that details the college’s analysis of its own ability to meet the standards set by the ACCJC. “The primary focal points are found in the four standards,” said Erika Endrijonas, the chair of chairs of the visiting accreditation team. Those four standards comprise a college’s mission statement; the academic and student support programs; human, physical, technological, and financial resources, and governance, how well the president and the district communicate and work together.

“This is a process of self-reflection,” said Cyndie Luna, the officer of accreditation. “So you really do look at what your gaps are.”

Luna has served on visiting accreditation teams and has now taken the leading role in compiling the ISER and preparing the college for accreditation, a once every seven years event.

Two cycles ago, FCC failed to meet those standards and was put on warning, a sanction that limits the college’s abilities until they come into compliance with the standards. A few months after the accreditation warning was imposed, it was lifted.

Luna said she is not worried about repeating that performance.

“We not only have met those standards now, we exceed them. Our processes are rock solid.”

On Thursday, at the conclusion of the accreditation team’s vis-

a n d fem

ACCREDITATION, FROM PAGE 1

, ces cti ra

Four men were recognized by the State Center Community College District for contributions to their community during the 21st annual Wall of Honor ceremony, held in Room 251 of the Old Administration Building on Feb. 26.

Lee Andrew Brown Jr., Darryl Du’Chene, Darnell Harris and Bobby Lee were inducted into the Wall of Honor.

Brown is a political science instructor at the Clovis Community College and was the first dean of instruction for Clovis as a fully accredited college. Brown was also the first African-American instructor at Clovis Community College.

Brown was school site president for Ayneswwoth Elementary, Ayer Elementary, and Sunnyside High School, along with a member and supporter of the Fresno Art Museum, Valley Public Radio and Valley PBS.

“I’m not one who seeks attention,” Brown said after he was honored. “I like to do my job quirements. a tjust ngle of medbut interge“Today ia,it’s neratiowas an amazing feeland be in theabackground, na of all the people nice to receive this honor.” ing when I think lp Du’Chene is an project man- that helped me get to this point,” tio Unified School Harris said. “This award was ager with Fresno lla a District’s Men’s t and Women’s Al- an award for my entire support liance Program and was a com- group, and I will continue to help munity coordinator with the city other people.” of Fresno where he helped to Lee’s wife of 52 years and his connect thousands of job seekers children were present to receive with prospective employers. He his posthumous award. oversaw 3,000 soft skills workLee died Nov. 21 2017. He shops on resume writing, inter- worked as program director of viewing techniques, application the North Avenue Community process and dressing for success.

Center and was the first Afri“When I do things, I never do can American hired as a disthem to receive awards,” Duchene trict Scout Executive for the Boy said. “It’s nice knowing someone Scouts of America in Fresno is seeing what I am doing, and it County. kind of refuels me.”

He later worked as a teachDarrel Harris is currently the er at Irwin Jr. High School. Lee coordinator of assessment and then worked his way to becomclassified senate president at ing principal at Wawona Middle Reedley College. He coordinated School and Carver and Lincoln the student athlete retention pro- elementary school. He also gram, supporting and assisting served as an administrator with more than a thousand student Fresno Unified School District. athletes with academic services

g, paintin sculpture , an di ns

lvalenzuela@therampageonline.com

A TANGLE OF MEDIA, March 1 -- April 6, 2018INTERGENERATIONAL 018 CONNECTIONS AND FEMINISMS – April 6, 2 arch 1edand assisting with M student Teresa Flores • Collage • Sculpture • Installation Quilting • Painting ucation plans and transfer re-

s in collage, fibe work r, s• ism in

Larry Valenzuela | News Editor

FRESNO CITY COLLEGE DIVISION OF FINE, PERFORMING AND COMMUNICATION ARTS PRESENTS AN ART SPACE GALLERY EXHIBIT

Adrianna Alejo Sorondo

Judy Chicago Tina Williams Brewer

Carmen Winant

Ronda Kelley

Opening Reception: Thursday, March 1, 5:00--8:00PM (ArtHop) Mon/Tues: 10:00am--4:00pm ~ Wed/Thurs: 10:00--7:00pm

State Center Community College District

MARCH 1 – APRIL 6, 2018

OPENING RECEPTION: Division of Fine, Performing, andMarch Communication Arts Thursday, 1 Division of Fine, Performing, and Communication Arts it, Endrijonas will present her 5:00 – 8:00 pm (Arthop) overview comments, general recommendations that are not technically the result. The results only become official when the full commission meets in June.

Before that, Endrijonas’ team will compile their report; Goldsmith will verify the accuracy of any specific claims, and then that report will be presented to the full commission. That commission will decide whether FCC receives full accreditation, receives accreditation with recommendations, receives a warning sanction, is put on probation, or loses its accreditation.

Even if the school is found noncompliant in several vital areas the total loss of accreditation is exceedingly unlikely, Endrijonas said. “It has to go pretty darn far for an institution to lose its ac-

Mon/Tues: 10:00am - 4:00pm • Wed/Thurs: 10:00am - 7:00pm www.fresnocitycollege.edu/art-space-gallery State Center Community College District

creditation,” she said.

“They will have recommendations for us, that is certain,” Luna said. “And we use those recommendations to become better, stronger.” “[While] today, this week is the Super Bowl of colleges, it’s really about the spring training we do all year long to stay in condition,” Goldsmith said. She and Luna are both confident that the college will exceed expectations and

maintain its accreditation. “Just because they’re here this week, that does not mean the work of accreditation, and ongoing evaluation stops.”

As for the catering snafu?

Goldsmith said it was an opportunity to come together.

“If this is our biggest problem during our site visit,” Luna said, “that’s great!”

3.7.18

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Callahan - Leading Through Example Paulina Rodriguez Ruiz | Reporter pruiz@therampageonline.com

Fresno City College Criminology instructor Kevin Callahan is wearing a red sweater and khaki pants, visibly at ease in his office, at a school he failed out of twice over two decades ago.

His office is decorated with a flag of heroes, a nod to all the public servicemen who died in the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

Callahan has dedicated 13 years of his life to law enforcement. He got his start in 2005 working with the Sanger Police Department.

During his time with SPD, Callahan held the ranks of police officer, corporal, and sergeant. He served as a field training officer, a firearms instructor, a detective, and was part of MAGIC, the multi agency gang enforcement consortium.

Callahan began his post secondary education at FCC, and failed out twice before moving from Fresno to Sacramento, where he attended Sacramento City College. He transferred to Sacramento State where he successfully earned his bachelor’s degree in criminal justice in 2002.

Callahan went on to receive his master’s degree from UC Irvine in advanced studies in criminology, law and society.

Callahan caught the teaching bug during his time as a training officer for the Sanger Police academy in 2012.

“It was fun to see them [students] want to learn, and it was fun to also be able to teach and help them go through the paradigm shift that it takes from being a cadet to seeing the world in a different perspective,” Callahan said, “transitioning to what it means to be an officer.”

He transitioned to teaching in 2015, becoming a full-time instructor at FCC, whilst volunteering over 20 hours a month as a reserve officer with SPD. Born and raised in the Central

“One of the things I’m learning along the way is, how do I teach these people that it’s OK to fail?”

-Kevin Callahan criminology instructor

Valley, Callahan, like most kids, had a love affair with police in fire.

He was heavily influenced by family and friends who were in law enforcement. His father was a California Department of Correc-

tions and Rehabilitation captain, and his best friend’s father was a police sergeant.

Last January, Callahan received the Sanger Police Department Police Chief ’s Award.

“I would describe Kevin Callahan as a man of high caliber and excellent character,” Sanger Police Chief Silver Rodriguez said. “He’s very true to the law enforcement profession, he’s highly ethical, and his character is really kind of ideal for law enforcement.”

As a reserve officer, Callahan is still able to serve as a peace officer, he just works on a volunteer basis. Rodriguez says Callahan would come during his off time, whether after hours or weekends.

“He continues to do so much for Sanger Police Department, the law enforcement profession, and he continues to serve our community with great distinction,” said Rodriguez. “It was important to recognize him.”

“I’m not someone that really cares for the spotlight,” Callahan said. “I just do things to do it, just show up and work, and I really don’t care for the recognition.”

Callahan says one of his biggest motivations is learning how to better connect and help his students.

“I learn the names of the students, and I learn a little bit something about them as we go,” Callahan said. “I want to have that personal touch.”

He said he is trying to figure

NEWS 5

Kevin Callahan.

Photo courtesy of Sanger Police Department

out how to add value to the time that they’re here, “but even to add value to the time when they’re beyond.”

Callahan says the biggest disconnect with students is their fear of failure.

“That’s one of the things that I’m learning along the way, is how do I teach these people that it’s OK to fail?” Callahan said.

“As long as you don’t get yourself killed, get somebody else killed, get your partner killed, don’t violate someone’s constitutional rights along the way, but it’s OK to make decisions.”

He also tries to teach students to be realistic when they transition to the field.

“If you are reasonable in all of your actions,” he said, “it brings a human element to it, and it allows you to connect with other people as well, so that not every situation is the same.”

“You really have to read the need in that moment, and just be reasonable when you’re problem solving in every situation,” he said.

Callahan recalls a notable event that shaped his view on the importance of fostering positive po-

lice interactions within the youth.

Years back while on patrol, two young children approached his car while he was surveilling a house. He noticed that a little girl around 3 years old, the same age as his daughter at the time, took off running as soon as he exited his vehicle. Curious, he investigated and discovered she was a foster child and had been removed from her previous home by police officers.

“What stuck out is the emotional attachment in the memories that little kids have when law enforcement are involved in their lives in an earlier stage,” Callahan said. “There is an opportunity to really be a positive influence on somebody when they’re young.”

Callahan says that experience “is a perfect example of the uniform being a barrier, that people don’t see the human side to police.”

The biggest message Callahan wants to instill into students is: ”Embrace and enjoy the grind of adulthood. It never stops and it’s never easy. Just smile, lean into it and keep giving your best effort.”

Goldsmith Talks Budget, Design Science, Counseling Reform Tommy Tribble | Reporter ttribble@therampageonline.com

Fresno City College President Carole Goldsmith discussed the budget, the new west Fresno campus and reforms to the counseling department during an open forum on Feb. 22 in the staff dining room.

“I’m a firm believer that our savior is not Sacramento or Washington, D.C.,” Goldsmith said, addressing a room of teachers and administrators. “It’s probably not the district either. It’s us.”

Previously, school funding was determined solely by the number of students enrolled. That may change in California, Goldsmith says.

“Fifty percent of our allocation will be based on enrollment,” she said. “Twenty-five percent will now, proposedly, be based on a poverty index.” That index will be calculated based on the number of students enrolled in the Board of Governors grant, which waives tuition fees for students.

Goldsmith said that 25 percent of the allocation will be performance based and that performance evaluation will lean heavily on the completion of associate degree to transfer programs.

While the the budget is a status quo budget which will likely maintain present funding, “energy costs will not remain the same,” Goldsmith said. Neither will retirement obligations. Goldsmith stressed the need to utilize current, limited resources in meaningful ways.

The president also spoke about the first phase of the plan in FCC’s deal with the Design Science High

“

Our savior is not Sacramento or Washington D.C.” -Carole Goldsmith

Fresno City College president

School, which serves 225 students and is located across the street from Fresno City College.

“But I am happy to report that Dean Lorraine Smith has found space in our Health Science building,” Goldsmith said. “We’re going to be bringing over some office space and the first group of kids.”

Later in the forum, Lataria Hall, the new vice president of Student Services, discussed changes in the counseling department.

“If you’re having heart problems, you go to your cardiologist,” Hall said. “You’re not going to go to your family practitioner.”

“Right now, we’re expecting our counselors to understand all of our degrees and the pathways and what is the academic requirement,” she said. Breaking the counselors up into specialized teams will allow them to perform “more deliberate, specific counseling.”

Hall explained that the counseling office “is transitioning from transactional counseling to relational.” She said relational is

Fresno City College President Carole Goldsmith addresses students and faculty at an open forum on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2018. Photo/Tommy Tribble

a more involved, intensive, and intrusive process where a team of counselors would begin guiding students after they declare their major and “make sure they have a sense of belonging.”

“There’s an acknowledgement that that we can do better, and our students deserve it,” Goldsmith said, regarding counseling reform.

Towards the end of the forum, one student confronted Goldsmith about illegal activities on campus such as students smoking marijuana and locker breakins in the art department. Gold-

smith said the administration was working on different locker room systems in order to prevent future break-ins, as well as repair the vandalized lockers.

The president conceded that the administration needed to do a better job of enforcing smoking rules but emphasized that the police were doing their best and writing citations.

“As a college, this is the type of discourse we want to encourage,” Goldsmith said later. “I’m glad to see that there really is a culture to speak truth to power here.”

6 ENTERTAINMENT

3.7.18

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‘The Whale’ Rides Waves Of Raw Emotion On Opening Night Noah Villaverde | Entertainment Editor

nvillaverde@therampageonline.com

F

resno City College Theatre’s opening night performance of Samuel D. Hunter’s moving drama, “The Whale” drew a unanimous standing ovation on March 2.

Told through a one-act structure, “The Whale” tells the heartbreaking story of Charlie, a morbidly obese gay man who is nearing the end of his life as he attempts to reconnect with his estranged daughter, Ellie.

This production of “The Whale” is directed by Chuck Erven and features a group of five characters that include the protagonist Charlie, his daughter Ellie, his best friend Liz, his ex-wife Mary and a Mormon missionary named Elder Thomas.

The play is set exclusively in Charlie’s pigsty of an apartment over the course of a week in his miserable life.

Through Erven’s remarkable direction, “The Whale” leaves the audience feeling as if they are eavesdropping on Charlie’s life.

Despite the heavy subject

From left, Brad Myers and Claudio Laso perform a scene in “The Whale.” Photo/Noah Villaverde

matter of the play, Hunter’s remarkable script showcases the humanity within all five of these troubled characters, particularly with its central protagonist.

In the play, Charlie is still grieving the death of his boyfriend as he continues his job as an online expository writing professor. For roughly 95 percent of the show’s runtime, the protagonist is present onstage.

Fresno State theatre instructor Brad Myers is front-and-center as Charlie. Through the use of a fatsuit that helps give such a physical onstage presence, Myers turns in a mesmerizing performance that feels achingly real.

Myers describes his character as a man grappling with the dissatisfaction of his own life.

“It is the sense being at a point in life that you can never get back what has been lost,” said Myers.

“That element manifests itself in so many different ways.”

At the heart of the play is the relationship between Charlie and his daughter Ellie. Cat Evangel-

ho plays the cynical and troublesome Ellie with such biting charisma that particularly shines when she shares the stage with her estranged father.

Rounding out the cast is Aleah Muniz as Charlie’s best friend Liz, Claudio Laso as the optimistic Mormon missionary Elder Thomas and Bridget Manders Martin as Charlie’s ex-wife Mary.

Muniz plays Liz as the concerned and loving friend to Charlie and treats him the same way a concerned sister would look after

“

My co-stars were holding me up and I was holding them up.”

-Cat Evangelho

“Ellie”

her ailing brother. Muniz and Myers share a certain warmth onstage that is certainly welcome given how the show confronts the topic of mortality.

As for Laso’s portrayal as Elder Thomas, his character goes through a fascinating journey of his own when he develops a connection with Charlie. Laso plays in some of the play’s most serious aspects along with some of the biggest laughs.

And in perhaps one of the play’s most gut-wrenching scenes, we have Charlie having an emotional connection with his ex-wife Mary as they catch-up after years apart.

Martin portrays Mary as a relentlessly exhausted single mother who has lost hope in her daughter’s future and feels profoundly devastated in a conversation with Charlie.

Regarding their opening night performance, Erven and the cast were pleased.

“The audience seemed to be responsive and tuned in,” said Erven. “I thought the cast did a

great job.”

The cast agreed that the presence of an audience encourages stronger energy within their performances. Laso, in particular, felt pleased given that this was his first mainstage show.

“I was very nervous, so I didn’t know what to expect,” said Laso.

“My co-stars were amazing tonight and gave performances 10 times better than in previous rehearsals.”

“It always feels good to have a good energy,” said Muniz. “We ran pretty smoothly and exhibited good chemistry onstage.”

“My co-stars were holding me up and I was holding them up,” said Evangelho. “We were all very prepared together and we couldn’t have done it without each other.”

“The Whale” continues on March 8, 9 and 10 at 7:30 p.m. and March 9 and 10 at 2:30 p.m. in the FCC theatre. Tickets are $14 for general admission, $12 for students and seniors and $8 for a group rate.

Ani-Me Con 2018 Returns to Fresno Fairgrounds Michael Mendez | Contributor

Wynsom Rose, dressed up as Zombina from the anime Monster Musume, poses for a photo with fan Khloe McBride at Ani-Me Con at the Fresno Fairgrounds on March 18, 2017.

Photo/Larry Valenzuela

One of the biggest conventions in the Central Valley is returning to the Fresno Fairgrounds for a two-day event on March 17 and 18. The 7th Annual Ani-Me Con will bring everything in pop culture together under one roof.

Ani-Me Con will highlight everything from anime to comic books and everything in between.

The event is set to feature 150 different vendors, cosplayers, voice actors, food trucks and special guest panels, giving a variety of things to do.

In charge of the event is coordinator Rick Phoeung who has been putting the event together since 2011, when it was originally held at Manchester Mall. Phoeung does what he can each year to

put on the biggest and best convention he possibly can.

“We try to cater to our fans having more vendors and special guests for everyone to enjoy. We will have up to 50 special guests this year from all genres of popular culture. From anime, gaming, sci-fi, YouTube, ‘Star Wars’ and more,” Phoeung said.

One thing to expect is attendees dressed up and cosplaying as their favorite pop culture characters. All decked out in costumes that are put together down to the smallest details, each are ready to take pictures with.

Get your wallets out and ready as Ani-Me Con is set to have several vendors returning to the event, selling a variety of different merchandise that can turn into must-haves at a moment’s no-

tice. Vendors and special guests set to return at this year’s con are Kinu Cafe, Kamikazegamez, Anime Coast, Benti Samurai, anime voice actress Sarah Anne Williams.

This year’s event will feature cosplayer Hana Bunny, vendor Nippon Sentaku, vendor Kisoro Anime, Candylion Cosplay, and more. Each new addition brings different things to the event to keep fans coming, while also creating new fans of the event in the process.

“We listen to our fans on what they like to see in upcoming events, and what we gather [is] they want to see more vendors and more special guests from their favorite shows,” said Phoeung.

3.7.18 ENTERTAINMENT 7

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Rogue Festival Kelsie Barry performs the closing number, “Stella Maris” by Moby during the opening night performance of “Nothing Is Beautiful; Everything Is Fine” at Dianna’s Studio of Dance during the Fresno Rogue Festival on Friday, March 2, 2018. Rogue Festival ends on March 10.

Photo/Larry Valenzuela

‘Thickets’ Portrays an Organic Tangle of Multifaceted Women

Fresno City College alumna Teresa Flores admires an untitled art piece by Carmen Winant in the Art Space Gallery on Thursday, March 1, 2018. Photo/Larry Valenzuela Paulina Rodriguez Ruiz | Reporter pruiz@therampageonline.com

“Thickets,” a multi-disciplinary, intergenerational exhibit that brings together the work of six women, will be on display at Fresno City College’s Art Space Gallery from March 1 through April 6.

Elena Harvey Collins, Art Space Gallery curator, says a thicket is “an organic tangle of brushes and bush. It signifies a refuge or a hiding place.”

“Thickets” explores how artists can obscure information in their work, asking how can art hide, heal, and connect us?

The exhibit will feature work

from Adrianna Alejo Sorondo, Ronda Kelley, Teresa Flores, Tina Williams Brewer, Carmen Winant, and feminist icon Judy Chicago.

“I’m thinking about a thicket as a network,” Collins said, “how you can make connections between artists working in different generations and in different media, and different kinds of feminism as well.”

“We’ve got older women artists who are established, who’ve been working for a long time and who are not from Fresno and then putting them with artists who are younger, but who have strong roots to the Fresno area,” said

Collins.

The exhibit features a 1969 painting titled “Dome Painting”

by Judy Chicago, 1970s feminist art pioneer, and cofounder of Fresno State’s Feminist Art Program.

The use of female artists, during Women’s History Month was intentional, according to Collins.

“In terms of the gallery, and in terms of my role here it [feminism] means making space where women’s voices can be heard,” said Collins.

African American liberation, history, and stories are explored through Tina Brewer’s quilts, while the consumption of the

female body is exemplified in Winant’s collages. Winant uses female cutouts from magazines to create a grid-like collage in which one gesture is repeated.

The exhibit will feature the work of two local Fresno artists: fiber artists and social sciences instructor Ronda Kelley, and local Fresno artist Adrianna Alejo Sorondo.

Sorondo’s experience as a scholar and a woman in the food service industry, along with her relationship with her mother, and her interest in indigenous holistic medicine is tied to her installation titled “Work/Play.”

“I want them to see that there’s

a magic or a wonderment in everyday life that is there if we just take the time,” says Sorondo.

The exhibit will be accompanied by two subsequent events.

Six X Ate: Thickets is a dinner series in which six artists are invited to present their work in relation to a theme. It will be held March 9, from 6 to 9 p.m. in the Art Space Gallery.

The Quesadilla Lab, a project spearheaded by Teresa Flores, will explore colonialism, class and culture boundaries, food justice, and California history through a recipe exchange and conversation space April 6 from noon to 2 p.m. in the Art Space Gallery.

5

8 OPINION 3.7.18

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Ways You Make Your Partner Crazy selves, sometimes you have to.

“My current partner always forgets to clean up after himself,” Matuse said. “I feel so annoyed having to tell him to clean up.”

Don’t want your partner acting like your parent? Then pick up after yourself!

4. “Forgetting” about a dating profile you have.

Tasha Turner | Reporter tturner@therampageonline.com

“You’re a crazy psycho b####!”

Those were the last words an ex said to me.

There I was, sitting in his trashy old PT Cruiser as he told me all the things I did that were “crazy.”

All I could do was laugh. Looking back, laughing probably wasn’t helping with my “I’m not crazy” pleas. He hid the fact that he had commitment issues and was a compulsive liar, yet I was the crazy one?

I’ll be the first to admit I can be a little foolish at times, but most of the time, I have a reason for it.

An ex lover isn’t going to just key your car for no reason (well, most of the time). Whether it be you cheated on them or called them rude names, you probably deserved it. You could be driving your lovers crazy without even being aware of it.

If you want to stop ruining your relationships, here are five potential ways you could be making your partner crazy:

Illustration/Tasha Turner

1. Commenting on someone else’s social media pictures.

Being nice and friendly is one thing, but saying how hot one of your Facebook friends is can be crossing the line.

Trevor Danels, a 21-year-old welder, said he had an ex who commented on other guys’ pictures all the time.

“She even went as far as calling another guy hot while we were in the car together,” he said. “I feel like treatment like that is what has led to me being pretty heartless about some things, and it gave me

negative views for a long time after her, too.”

This is the most efficient ways that exist to truly hurt a person, according to Daniels.

You’re asking to get stalked online if you can’t be trusted not to flirt online.

2. Making it known how much you love your celebrity crush.

We all have eyes. We can all see how hot Mila Kunis and Ryan Gosling are. We don’t need to be reminded of it every single day.

Becca Matuse, a 23-year-old vet assistant said, “I once dated a guy

who told me how much he loved Katy Perry’s breasts.”

“I’ve always been insecure about my body and having him say that made me feel terrible,” she said.

Someone is bound to get jealous if you keep drooling over someone you have no chance with. Instead of complimenting a celebrity that can’t even hear you, how about complimenting your partner.

3. Being lazy.

The nagging partner. No one likes to boss their partner around and act like their parent, but if they can’t pick up after them-

No, you didn’t really forget, and we know. They don’t care if you left your Tinder up to just “troll people,” it’s disrespectful to your partner.

“I’ll admit it, I’m one of the people who left my Tinder profile open to gain more followers on Instagram,” Matuse said. “But once my boyfriend expressed his concerns, I closed it.”

If you don’t want your partner to think you’re cheating, don’t act as if you are.

5. Lying.

This one should be obvious.

The key to trust is to not lie. Even the simplest white lie can make your partner question everything you say.

Trent Pannett, a 24-year-old wrestler, said his ex lied to him constantly.

“When I moved out of state, she would lie about who she was hanging out with, even if it was just friends,” he said. “It made me feel like I wasn’t respected by her.”

You don’t want your partner questioning everything you do, so be honest and open in your relationship.

Why I Took a Break From Social Media — and why You Should Too Sasha Saunders | Reporter ssaunders@therampageonline.com

Almost all students are going through the motions trying to juggle over 15 units, work, a personal and social life. I can tell you right now that the word stress is an understatement.

In a world where your life is seen and judged through the glass of social media, this type of stress remains constant. Although social media platforms have successfully contributed to many people’s lives in terms of communicating and business, there are certain aspects of an app that can drive some crazy.

Google defines stress as “a state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or very demanding circumstances.” I define stress as “the want to completely drop everything you’re doing because it seems like you simply cannot keep up.”

Being a college student already requires extreme dedication to your school work and 11:59 p.m. deadlines, research and midterms can really take a toll on a students life and it gives a lot of room for

stress to take place.

To relieve some of those feelings, most students turn to their favorite social media outlet to tune in to everyone else’s lives and make their own feel less stressful. Over time, I found that even opening a Snapchat, scrolling down my Instagram feed and keeping up on Twitter started to stress me out.

So I deleted them.

The original purpose of social media is to allow people to communicate with other people.

Nowadays, it feels like the platform for lifestyle comparison. The people you follow to check up on, you’re now checking up on to follow. Every time an app is opened, you’re bound to see one of three things: drama, nakedness, or constant flaunting of things people use to boost their self-esteem, like money and other material items.

It seems like an obligation to be attractive, busy, paid and social. If you don’t hold one of those traits and post to prove it, you almost don’t exist to the world.

Nothing seems genuine on social media. The sense of simple

leisure has faded, as if getting enrolled into prerequisites and fighting the syllabus throughout the semester isn’t enough competition.

Cassieopia Smith, a child development major at Fresno City College, describes social media as a drug for youth.

“In one form it makes people feel great, in another it could totally mess up your life.”

A lot is misinterpreted on social media, and that is one of the main reasons I deleted my own for a while.

Platforms like Twitter are where misinterpretation and assumptions are housed. Any comment you make on something automatically puts you on one side of the fence in the eyes of your social peers and, like a W on a college transcript, it’s there forever.

For some, it may not be keeping up with outside, but keeping the outside out that causes stress.

According to an article in the Huffington Post, “Social network users who are ‘very con-

“

in one form, it makes people feel great, in another, it could totally mess up your life.”

cerned’ about consumer privacy are 20 percent more likely to characterize their lives as ‘very stressful.” Finding out what someone is up to is no longer a task -- just check their story on Snapchat.

Social media could also be responsible for problems rising in a new or old relationship.

The “single” status you never changed on Facebook can put someone into tears after a date that went quite well. The “arewe-or-aren’t-we” stage has been put in the public eye. Whether Facebook knows you’re dating or not can possibly end something that didn’t get a chance to start.

It makes sense that in today’s world where social media is the driving influential force of people’s lives, that stress could occur and anxiety can rise.

Luckily, the social media motions aren’t mandatory. Delete them and try to take a break.

You may find yourself flipping through your home screen for them but the personal experience of reality is worth it.

3.7.18

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Has Cheating Become A Social Norm?

Claudia Chavez | Reporter cchavez@therampageonline.com

If I had a dollar for every time someone I knew mentioned cheating or being cheated on, I would be very rich, not just a broke college student.

Unfortunately, I’m not rich from this issue, but I can’t help notice that nowadays it seems like people are so nonchalant about cheating and that sucks!

Thanks to technology, people are now able to create a secure secret world where they can download apps such as Hide my Calls or Hide my Texts, which make it very tempting to find people near you and set up a quick meetup at your convenience.

Not to mention, just as there are ways you can use tracking devices to spy on someone to view their location at all times, you can now easily turn all of those settings off so no one knows where you really are. After all, humans like the thrill of knowing they shouldn’t do something, but we’re also

Illustration/Tasha Turner

aware of maybe having a chance at getting away with it, right?

Since apps have created this new secure world, it kind of blurs the lines of what is actually considered cheating.

If your significant other were constantly texting or direct messaging someone else, would you consider that cheating, even though they’ve never actually had physical contact? Emotional infidelity exists and is able to cause

“

just as much harm to a relationship as physical infidelity does.

But what does that say about us?

Have we made it OK to cheat and be OK with that decision?

In a way, yes we have. According to research conducted in 2016 by Statistic Brain, 57 percent of men admitted to committing infidelity in any relationship they’ve had, and 54 percent of women admitted to doing the same.

When we have 57 percent of men,

emotional infidelity exists and is able to cause just as mUch harm.”

or 54 percent of women who admit to making the decision to cheat, it appears to be common among people.

The worst discussion I’ve heard from one of my friends is when she talks about that “on and off ” relationship and every time the guy gets accepted back into the relationship, he cheats on her and it seems like they just repeat the cycle. Both of them are so casual about what happened.

In an article on Truth About Deception, it is stated that, “Experts believe the increase in cheating is due to greater opportunity (time spent away from spouse), as well as young people developing the habit of having multiple sexual partners before marriage.”

According to research done by Wendy Wang at Institute for Family Studies, women ages 18 to 29 were more likely to cheat than men. However, among men ages 30 to 34, the statistics changed, as men were the ones more likely to cheat.

So perhaps cheating among young people is influenced by a combination of the young people wanting multiple sexual partners before marriage, and the convenience of apps invites temptation.

When you have so many people thinking alike and not making the best of choices, then people start losing faith in the value of true love and decide that making that not-so-good decision wouldn’t be so bad.

A survey conducted by Divorce Statistics, showed that “85 percent of women are right when they think their partner is cheating on them, while for men it is around 50 percent.” It is also stated in the same survey that, “In the United States, 17 percent of all the divorces that occur are due to adultery on the part of either or both parties.”

So, has cheating become the social norm? It depends on which age group and gender we are talking about. I was surprised when I found out women were more likely to cheat than men among the younger couples, but statistics show that infidelity occurs among every age group, but is more common among people under 30.

OPINION 9

U.S. Saved From Potential Foreign Influence Andrew R. Leal | Reporter aleal@therampageonline.com

Well, it looks like there will not be peace in the Middle East for this current administration, as the secret President of the United States, Jared Kushner, had his security clearance downgraded to a temporary secret clearance last Feb. 2018.

Kushner, who is son-in-law to the elected President Donald J. Trump, was brought to the White House in April 2017 to solve some of the United States’ most pressing foreign policy and domestic problems, which, traditionally, are the duties a president would undertake since that has been the case for the past 44 of them.

If Kushner is the secret commander-in-chief, then give him his entitled security clearance to see the nation’s most tightly kept secrets so he can freely give them to Russia. Oh wait, wrong guy -- that is his father-in-law’s job.

Some foreign policy issues Kushner is tasked with solving include negotiating peace between Israelis and Palestinians, getting Mexico on good terms with the U.S. and being representative for talks with China when it concerns North Korea.

Who could be better for the job? Rex Tillerson, the man who was confirmed by the Senate to be the actual Secretary of State ?

No, it is better suited for a man who, before his current position as being secret President of the United States, was head of a real estate company which has deals with foreign countries.

It couldn’t be the case that when making those deals with countries, could Kushner ever be used as leverage to serve their interests?

Actually, it is reported by the Washington Post that it could be true that some countries have discussed ways to manipulate Kushner using the absence of experience and deals made by his real estate company.

At least those countries are not ones he is currently working with as secret president.

Oh no, the Washington Post, in their article, has reported that Mexico, China and Israel are three of the four that have had those internal talks to use him.

Well, then Chief of Staff John Kelly was right to take away Kushner’s top temporary security clearance.

One can only hope that no other person working in the White House could have any sort of business connections to a foreign government which could use them like Kushner.

10 OPINION 3.7.18

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Is common sense gun control Enough?

YES NO

Noah Villaverde | Entertainment Editor nvillaverde@therampageonline.com

Students nationwide plan on walking out of their respective schools on March 14 in response to the mass shooting in Parkland, Florida that took the lives of 17 students and faculty.

Given the rate at which mass shootings occur in the U.S. compared to other countries, the conversation on gun control and possession of arms seem to go on an endless cycle that plays into the typical talking points of the culture war.

We can respect the rights of responsible gun owners while also aiming to prevent the slaughter of innocent lives through common sense gun control.

While the Quinnipiac Poll shows that 97 percent are in favor of universal background checks, pro-gun advocates find the opportunity to play on the fears of those involved in gun culture.

The gun lobby and the NRA claim that gun control activists are using the term, “common sense gun control” as a front for an eventual blanket confiscation from responsible gun owners.

Groups like the NRA know that their most prominent base tends to live within the heartland of the country and are typically living in states that heavily favor Republican representatives.

But despite the ever-growing political polarization in the country, common sense gun control and expanded background checks can certainly benefit all Americans, whether they intend on owning a gun or not.

For starters, the majority of U.S. citizens, regardless of party affiliation, is in favor of universal background checks. These checks are meant to ensure that those purchasing firearms are mentally stable.

Also, much of those who are in favor of stronger gun control understand that there are millions of responsible Americans who are fearful of having their guns taken away.

In reality, even some of the strongest gun control advocates want to respect the Second Amendment rights of those who are genuinely responsible with their firearms.

“

Besides, even within that 97 percent polled in favor of universal background checks, the majority are also in favor of keeping firearms in the hands of truly responsible gun owners.

The U.S. is a pluralistic society, and to say that the majority of responsible gun owners must voluntarily give up their guns and ultimately have them confiscated would be infringing on their individual liberties.

The disgraceful actions of irresponsible gun users should not be a means to punish those who are truly responsible.

But then we look back at Parkland, Las Vegas, Orlando, Sandy Hook and more. Nearly all of these tragedies used military-level assault rifles that can take multiple lives within seconds.

In regards to the sales of assault weapons such as the AR-15, numerous retailers have made increased restrictions in order to help prevent further tragedies and to keep these weapons out of the wrong hands.

Also, Senator Jeff Flake (R-AZ) and Senator Diane Feinstein (DCA) recently introduced the Age 21 Act, which is a bipartisan bill that proposes to raise the minimum age to purchase assault weapons and high-capacity magazines from 18 to 21.

Above all, the incremental approach through common sense gun control is the most realistic and fair method to decrease gun violence while also preventing more mass shootings and making sure the only people who possess guns are fully checked, verified and responsible.

Contrary to what the fringes say, it is possible to increase gun control regulations, promote safer communities and respect the responsible gun owners and the Second Amendment all at the same time.

With more regulations such as these proposed, more lives can be saved and the responsible right to bear arms can remain intact.

we can respect the rights of gun owners while also aiming to prevent the loss of innocent lives.”

Tommy Tribble | Reporter ttribble@therampageonline.com

“

Weeks ago, Nikolas Jacob Cruz walked into Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida and murdered 17 of his schoolmates with an AR-15.

In June 2016, Omar Mateen entered Pulse, a gay nightclub in Orlando Florida and killed 49 people. It was the deadliest shooting in U.S. history until it wasn’t.

In October 2017, Stephen Paddock opened fire on a crowd of people attending a country music concert in Las Vegas, killing 58 people and injuring 500 others.

That is to say nothing of Sandy Hook Elementary, or Columbine.

What should be extreme outliers are instead extreme norms, an extreme problem.

Mass shootings seem to grow in numbers, in ambition, in insanity, every year.

An extreme problem calls for an extreme solution.

I think it’s time we talk about rewriting the Constitution and banning most, if not all, guns.

The Parkland teens are advocating for the very same things the mainstream Democratic party line is: an assault weapons ban, raising the age to purchase firearms, and universal background checks.

Most of these proposals are very popular.

I see this as a jumping off point.

Would raising the age to buy firearms from 18 to 21 have stopped 64-year-old Stephen Paddock or 29-year-old Omar Mateen?

Would an assault weapon ban have really stopped Paddock, who utilized bump stocks to modify and transform his weapons?

bold aspirations and radIcal solutions are the foundation this country was built upon.”

I endorse all of the Parkland teens’ demands. I endorse them as the starting point, the opening door.

The problem is not merely assault weapons or bump stocks or background checks. The problem is the NRA, our gun culture, and our Second Amendment, which we have interpreted over time to mean near limitless access to guns.

I am calling for radical changes to our gun laws, the catalyst for which must be amending the Constitution, and rewriting the Second Amendment. While the text does refer to both a “well regulated militia” and “the right of the people to keep and bear Arms,” room for interpretation remains.

That ambiguity must be expunged.

The Second Amendment must be rewritten to reflect an America where guns are now far more dangerous than muskets ever were.

In doing so, the government should fully ban assault weapons and limit Americans to one handgun per household, under strict lock and key. A buyback program, like the one used in Australia to curb gun violence, should be instituted to pull guns out of circulation in exchange for cash.

Guns should be voluntarily given up, and then ultimately confiscated.

I don’t deny that it’s a big ask.

I’m asking for a dramatic expansion of the powers of the state. Rewriting the Constitution requires a two-thirds vote in both Houses and ratification by at least 38 states: numbers that simply don’t exist at this time.

Many would criticize a proposal like this for being impractical and impossible and therefore useless. If it can’t be done, why bother talking about it?

But bold aspirations and radical solutions are the foundation this country was built upon.

Overthrowing the British with a well-regulated militia was a radical solution to an extreme problem.

This country’s gun laws must be turned upside down. For the 17 kids who died at Stoneman Douglas. For the 49 gay men and women who perished at Pulse Nightclub. For the 58 concertgoers who were murdered by Stephen Paddock.

We can’t afford petty incrementalism and fake solutions. It’s time for the left to make the case for drastically limited or eliminating gun rights in this country. Someone has to.

3.7.18

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CAMPUS VOICES: What is your view on gun control?

Anjanae Freitas | Reporter afreitas@therampageonline.com

Nabajot Kaur Psychology

Lloyd Hall Communications

Gamaliel Modesto Criminology

“We still need gun control, but it should be limited.”

“We need to control how we are educating our schools and society on mental health. We need to stand up for people who are being bullied.”

“It is not the gun, it is the person behind the gun.”

Cielo Acuna Biology “We live in a country where the mental health of our citizens is less important than keeping guns out of the hands of people who mean harm.”

Rather than Leader of the Free World, Trump Leads a Backwards America Gabbi Micheli | Reporter jmicheli@therampageonline.com

For roughly 411 days, Donald J. Trump has continued to prosper in the limelight, not as a television personality, but as the 45th president of the United States. His policies not only raise the interests of adults with careers, but the youth.

The prominent subject when dealing with students is in regards to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival recipients. Since the beginning of his presidential election, Trump claimed he would build a wall, dividing the U.S. from Mexico. Last fall, Trump announced his plan of ending DACA. However, as CNN Politics reports, Trump will work to continue DACA only if “it comes with a long-promised border wall and changes to the immigration system.”

While the new stance does seem beneficial, the exorbitant wall seems to fulfill nothing other than adding to Trump’s ego.

Following more recently with the Parkland, Florida high school shooting, gun control has been on the minds of many. Trump proposed the idea of bringing more guns to school and arming teachers. Students are taking action by starting the #NeverAgain movement and the scheduled National School Walkout on March 14.

According to a CNN Transcript, when Trump called a student who was a victim of the shooting and was in the hospital, he stated, “I heard you’re a big fan of mine.”

Also, when he sat in a listening session for grieving students and families, he was photographed by Associated Press photographer Carolyn

OPINION 11

Kaster holding talking points.

One advice suggests he tells his audience, “I hear you.”

Trump’s lack of empathy in addressing how substantial guns played a role in the shooting has only strengthened these students in taking action for stricter gun laws. Shooting survivors such as Emma Gonzales and Sarah Chadwick have rallied against the National Rifle Association and even confronted NRA’s national spokeswoman Dana Loesch.

Some stores, such as REI, Dicks’ Sporting Goods, Delta Airlines, United Airlines, and more have cut ties with the NRA. He has also been in charge of repealing the safety of transgender citizens being able to use a bathroom with relation to their gender identity.

According to The Washington Post, the education department announced Feb. 26 that they would no longer probe into investigations dealing with transgender students choosing to use a bathroom in relation to their gender identity.

Not to mention, his blatant misogyny towards women has a worldwide affect. Calling women in respected titles, “fat,” “pig,” “dog,” “disgusting.” The list goes

“

Trump doesn’t understand and fails to relate to the youth of today in every way.”

on.

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act was passed last December by Trump, and will have an effect on students pursuing higher education.

As The Balance reports, ”Those in the lowest-earning fifth of the population would see their income increase by 0.4 percent.

Those in the next-highest fifth would receive a 1.2 percent boost.

The next two quintiles would see their income increase 1.6 percent and 1.9 percent, respectively. But the biggest increase, 2.9 percent, would go to those in the top-earning fifth.” Businesses will benefit, while individuals will be ignored.

Trump’s America is also affecting students outside of America. According to a report from Newsweek, “The Institute of International Education reported on Monday that the number of first-time international students enrolling in the U.S. fell by more than 3 percent between the 20152016 and 2016-2017 school years.”

Trump’s policies have had outstanding effects on DACA recipients, Muslims, students, the LGBTQ+ community, and more.

Such a polarizing figure is causing America to take sides. The truth is, Trump doesn’t understand and fails to relate to the youth of today in every way.

It seems as if Trump doesn’t hate everyone; he’s just too immersed in his own ego to care about anyone other than himself. To Trump, anyone who is not him is the opposition.

Overall, as his presidency continues on; it’s getting clearer that Trump might not be the leader of the free world, but rather the leader of a backwards country.

12 SPORTS 3.7.18

therampageonline.com

Outfielder freshman Daci Tovar hits a fastball thrown by a player from Siskiyous at Fresno City College on Saturday, March 3, 2018. Photo/Larry Valenzuela

Softball Team Takes Double Header

“

yssa Sanchez scored adding four more runs bringing the score to 10-0. arge dark clouds rolled in for the softball In the bottom of the third inning, a score by game on March 3, but that didn’t stop Tovar and Navarro was nicely done. Mets, CaballeFresno City College from beating ro and Sanchez scored and Soto struck out. As the Siskiyous College. great plays concluded, Tovar homered to left field.

“Our defense has been solid all season and conExpose, Gonzales and Rico scored the final runs tinues to make great plays,” said Rhonda Williams, for the third inning. head coach.

For the lineup of the bottom of the fourth inDespite the rain in the bottom of the first, the ning, Marissa Scotti replaced Mets, but struck out Rams were able to explode for 6 runs to foreshadswinging. Mendez hit a fly ball, leaving the outs to ow what would become a lopsided victory. Players a total of two until Sanchez hit a hard ground ball, Savannah Peña, Infinity Chacon, Anisah Navarro, concluding the fourth inning with 3 outs. FCC de-Rhonda williams Amanda Mets, Alyssa Caballero and Kassandra feated Siskiyous with a score of 19-0. head softball coach Expose all scored for a 6-0 lead.

As the game continued later that day, the 3 “Our offense had some nice clutch with some o’clock game started to pick up during the bottom two-out RBI hits,” Williams said. “Our pitchers of the third inning when Pena stole second base, are throwing well and have only given up two runs in the last three Navarro was reached on error but then Pena scored. FCC won a games.” close game 1-0.

As the game proceeded through the wet weather conditions, in Williams said, ”The team is looking forward to the doubleheader the bottom of the second inning, Chacon doubled to left field, folgame in Merced on Tuesday, March 6 and the single game in Porlowing an advance to third on a wild pitch. Mets, Caballero and Alterville on Thursday.”

Claudia Chavez | Reporter

L

cchavez@therampageonline.com

Our defense has been solid all season.”

7 Consecutive Wins for Rams, Now State Quarterfinals Jamila McCarty | Reporter jmccarty@therampageonline.com

FCC guard Jared Small battles for position of the ball against Gavilan guard Xander Bowers during jump ball at start of regional final game. Photo/Jamila McCarty

Fresno City College Men’s Basketball dominated Gavilan College in the regional finals on March 3 after a six-game winning streak.The CCAAA third round playoff game was held at the FCC gym, where the Rams came out on top with a score of 93-78.

FCC is ranked No. 2 in the Central Valley Conference, and started the game with a 10 point lead against seventh-seed Gavilan College. Within the first few minutes, fans became hostile and the game was paused for a short period until the altercations stopped.

During the first half, Gavilan’s guard, No. 23, Ja-Mont Wilson, was ejected from the game for stepping on the head of FCC

guard, Jess Spivey. Seconds after Wilson was thrown out, the Rams’ Guard Jonah Brown was also ejected for running off the bench into the game when Spivey was stepped on.

Because this was the last home game of the season, the Rams came out with high intensity and managed to come out on top in the first half, 52-33.

After halftime, the Rams managed to keep a steady 20-22-point lead, although Gavilan put up 45-points while the Rams fell short by 4 and scored 41 points.

“We got a lot of work to do,” guard, Tyus Spivey, said. “They won in the second half.”

FCC guards Spivey and Tyus Millhollin contributed 16 career points each, which sent the Rams over with the victory, 93-78.

Communication was a vital key of Saturday night’s game, according to Rams’ guard Eric Pierce.

Every chance the Rams got, they huddled together for a brief second to encourage each other.

“The crowd was so hostile,” Pierce said. “We had to bring it together.”

Saturday night’s victory sends the Fresno City Men’s basketball team into the State Quarterfinals on March 9 against Orange Coast in Ventura, California.

Pierce said, “We just gotta win it.”

Final Score

93-78